What You Need To Know About ECU’s 2024 Football: The Helm Of The Program, Counting Transfers To Fix Loopholes

The Pirates and Owls didn’t meet in 2023, but are scheduled to play one another this fall in Greenville.

East Carolina is gearing up for the upcoming season, and it’s time to preview the 12 teams the Pirates will compete against. This overview will provide essential insights into each opponent, with more in-depth analysis to come as game week approaches.

Having recently examined ECU’s matchup with Army, let’s now look ahead to their game against Temple, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, in Greenville.

For head coach Stan Drayton, it’s a pivotal moment. After a successful period under coaches Matt Rhule and Geoff Collins, Temple has faced a notable decline. Drayton, who previously served as the assistant head coach and running backs coach at Texas, was brought in to revitalize the program before the 2022 season. However, he has managed only two 3-9 seasons and enters his third year firmly on the hot seat. This third year is typically critical for head coaches, but with all the turnover at Temple in recent years, uncertainty looms as 2024 approaches.

The Owls have lost standout quarterback EJ Warner, who transferred to fellow conference member Rice. Warner, the son of Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, had shown great promise, notably throwing for 527 yards and five touchdowns against ECU in the 2022 season finale. He amassed over 6,000 yards and 41 touchdowns in the past two years. His departure is a significant blow for Temple. They’ve brought in Evan Simon from Rutgers and are also considering JUCO prospect Forrest Brock, who has impressed during offseason practices.

Defensively, the Owls struggled in 2023, allowing 442 yards and 35.7 points per game, a stark contrast to their relatively solid performance in Drayton’s first year. The defensive front remains a strength, with key players like Tra Thomas and FAU transfer Latrell Jean. However, with several notable departures among linebackers and the secondary, questions persist. Former ECU linebacker Tyquan King is vying for the middle linebacker position, while the secondary has seen the loss of 4-5 contributors and has recruited seven transfers to fill those gaps.

On offense, Temple has some promising receivers in Dante Wright and Zae Baines, both of whom offer experience entering their upperclassman years. Wright caught 39 passes for 507 yards and four touchdowns last season, while Baines added 36 catches for 442 yards and one score. Additionally, the tight end group is expected to enhance the offense with more 11 and 12 personnel sets than in previous years.

The odds reflect a challenging outlook for Temple, with their projected season win total at just 2.5. Their schedule is daunting, featuring tough road games against Oklahoma and Navy before facing Coastal Carolina, Utah State, and Army at home. They also have in-conference away games against ECU, Tulane, and UTSA.

The history between Temple and ECU has seen its ups and downs. Temple dominated the series from 2014-2019, winning six straight, but ECU ended that streak during the COVID season and has since won the last three meetings, with the Pirates leading the overall series 10-9.